Wire-fence stay



(No Model.)

W. M. GLOW.

WIRE FENCE STAY.

Patented Aug. 16, 1887.

L'Znesses I .Tnzren Z0)? Q Zi /w, mm 7% 261m.

NITED TATES PATENT Orricn.

XVILLIAM M. GLO\V, OF EAST \VHEATLAND, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-FENCE STAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 368,459, dated August 16, 1887.

Application filed May 31,1887. Serial No.239,81 l. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM M. CLow', a citizen of the United States of America, residing at East \Vheatland, in the county of \Vill and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in XVire-Fence Stays, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain improvements in wire-fence stays for supporting and holding at regular distances apart the strandwires of a fence between the fence-posts where the fence-posts are at considerable distance apart, said improvements being fully set forth and explained in the following specification and claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the figures and letters of ref erence marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stay-rod having strand-wires of a fence clipped thereto. Fig. 2is a top plan view ofa clip placed on a rod, showing the rod in cross-section. Fig. 3 is a side plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a side plan view of aclip. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the same; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a section ofa stay-rod having secured thereon a clip holding a section of fence'wire.

B represents a stay-rod formed from a piece of wire rod, round in crosssection, having formed at its upper end a head, a, and bluntly pointed at its lower end.

0 represents clips for securing the strandwires of a fence to the stay-rod B, cast from metal fashioned to have two pairs of loops, the plane of one pair of loops being at right angles to the opposite pair of loops, as shown, each clip having an integral locking-key,P, arranged to project from the inner part of one looped part toward the opposite fellowloop. It is intended that said clips shall be made of malleable iron or other metal, adapting them to bend so that they may be applied to their use by a pair of common pinchers.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the clip 0 (shown at 1) is so formed that its loops bearing against the rod B are broad enough to have considerable engaging surface, and are likewise corrugated, as shown at d, (see also Figs. 2 and 3,) which adapts them to bind firmly on said rod, and portions of said broadened parts are formed as wings D, which are adapted to be closed about rod B, to assist to bind said clips to said rod.

The locking-key P of the clip is fashioned to be wedge-shaped, and waved or notched along its outer side, as shown at Z, and arranged in such manner that its free end will project toward the opposite loop, and is adapted to be forced within said loop by bending the clip, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. As the key enters said 1oop,it fills the hollow of said loop, and the farther it is entered the more space it occupies. The portion of said loop engaging the outer side of the key PisV-shapedor formed, substantially as shown at Z in Fig. 2, in such manner as to engage along the waves or notches of the key to assist to hold the key securely seated.

The clip shown at 2 in Figs. 1, 4, and 5 has its body uniform in cross-section throughout, and is not provided with the wings I), but is adapted to be held in position by frictional contact exclusively.

The manner of applying and securing a stay to a fence is as follows: The clips are in the first instance placed on the strand-wires in such manner that the said strands will rest in a pair of loops and against the inner side of the locking-key, after which the rod B is passed down through the opposite pair of loops of each clip in its order in such manner that said rod and strands will engage each other and be at right angles with each other. \Vhen this is done, the clips are grasped at the side next the strand wires by a pairofpinchers orother implement, and said two side loops bent togther, forcing keys Pinto their respective loops and wedging them against the strand-wires, thus tightly binding the strand-wires to the stay-rod B and holding them by frictional contact. (See 1 and 2 in Fig. 1.)

If desired, the position of the clips may be changed to bring the lockingkeyI in contact with rod B, as shown at 3 in Fig. 1, and in instances where a small single wire or small cable is to be bound to the stay-rod B, where the loops would be too large to bind securely in the manner described, the locking-key]? may be bent to stand against rod B, as shown in Fig. 6, and thus occupy more space within the loop,

draw up the two opposite loops against the strand-wire, and bind as firmly as in the former way, and by means of the taper of key 1? and the described methods of applying the clips they are adapted to bind and hold strand-wires of all common sizes. Any number of fencewires may be thus clipped to a stayrod at any desired distance apart, clips being only used in number corresponding with the wires of the fence.

In use the rod Bstands upon the ground, and thus supports the wires like a post, and in instances where the ground is soft they may be driven into or rest upon a block or small stake placed or driven into the ground, in order that they may at such places also support the fence-wires off the ground.

By this construction and arrangement all material used is confined strictly to places required for each special occasion, and thus can be made strong at little expense, .as it is thus simplified. The head a of rod Bis for the purpose of preventing the clips slipping off at the top when being applied, and the lower ends, being bluntly pointed,assistin guiding through the clips.

It is not an essential feature of this invention that the rod B should be round in cross-sec tion. It may,if desired, be of any suitableform, and it may have its sides corrugated, serrated,

or roughened, if it is desired,which will cause the clips 0 to more firmly bind to it. On the drawings a portion of said rod is show-n at R as roughened, and the form in cross-section of the clips 0 may be varied from that shown without affecting the result desired.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows, to wit:

1. A wire-fence stay consisting of a metal rod having a head at its upper end and bluntly pointed at its lower end, in combination with a series of metal clips fashioned to have two pairs of loops arranged in such manner that the plane of one pair is at right angles to the plane of the opposite pair, and having an integral locking-key adapted to be wedged into the hollow of one loop and against the wire strands or rod to bind and hold said strands to said rod,wherein said parts are combined and arranged in the manner substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the strands of a wire fence, the rod 13 and the clips 0, having the integral locking-keys I, whereby said wire strands are clipped to said rod and held by frictional contact by means of said key being forced into the hollow of oneloop, in the manner substantially as specified.

3. In combination with rod B, the clips 0, having integrallocking-keys and broadened serrated portions d and wings D, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

WVILLIAM M. GLOW.

Witnesses:

THOS. H. HrrrcHINs, WM. J. HUTGHINS. 

